Call for guidelines on biogas and other renewable projects

Local representatives in Tipperary have called on the government to publish proper guidelines on the development of renewal energy projects, voicing fears for local communities such those opposed to the largescale biogas plant proposed for Ballymackey.

At last Monday’s meeting of Tipperary County Council in Nenagh, a motion was passed “urgently” asking the Government to publish regulations for the renewal energy sector.

The councillors who submitted the motion said such guidelines should be in place for biomethane, solar and wind energy projects prior to any further grants being awarded to the developers of such facilities.

The motion also called for a temporary pause on all largescale renewable energy projects in the absence of “up-to-date national regulation” governing the sector.

“This motion reflects the council’s commitment to ensuring that renewable energy development proceeds in a manner this is appropriately planned and environmentally sustainable,” stated councillors.

They said an aim of the motion was to respect people’s rights and to protect the health and wellbeing of local communities who needed to be prioritised in legislation.

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED

The motion was unanimously adopted by councillors and will now be referred to the Local Government Minister, James Browne, and the Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, Darragh McGrath.

Nenagh based Independent councillor Séamie Morris said the motion was timely in the light of the large biogas facility planned for Ballymackey.

“The local community has had to educate themselves about what is facing them,” he said.

“There is fear out there, and the fact that there is no national policy on this is disgraceful.”

Cllr Morris said locals opposed to the plant were facing the prospect of trying to raise a large amount of money to fight an appeal against the project.

He said the plan for the “massive” biogas plant should be paused, pending proper guidelines on the renewable energy sector being published by the Government.

Thurles based Independent councillor Jim Ryan said no public representative was opposed to projects that helped to tackle issues such as climate change. But there was a lot of fear in communities right around the country about the development of solar farms, biomethane plants and other “green” energy projects.

Currently, there was a “free-for-all” for prospective developers of renewable energy projects. Grants of permission for such developments were being issued by councils all over the country and by An Coimisiún Pleanála.

Due to a lack of guidelines from the government on such developments, there were major implications for future generations.

“A lot of communities are opposed to such developments, but their voices are being lost.,” said Cllr Ryan.

Communities harboured genuine fears over the implications for their health, the impact on their local environment and because of possible devaluation of their property, he said.

Cllr Micheál Lowry said guidelines were needed to protect prime agricultural land in order to maintain food security rather than have such areas occupied by renewable energy facilities.

He added that many applications for such projects were speculative and made by entities outside the State who were taking advantage of the lack of legislation.

Council CEO Sinead Carr said she would take on board a suggestion from Cllr Lowry that the local authority look at its own future policy on the issue.